Niall Horan Says He Didn't 'Believe in' Anxiety—Until He Got It

It can be difficult to grasp the intensity of anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and other mental health issues if you've never experienced them yourself. In a recent interview with an Australian radio show, Niall Horan revealed that before he started experiencing anxiety, he didn't really understand it.

While speaking with 97.3's Bianca, Terry, and Bob, Horan was asked to talk about how widespread mental health issues like anxiety are. "One in three of your fans will be struggling with mental health issues," Bianca said. "Does Niall Horan get anxiety?" Horan responded, "Yeah, of course. Every now and then I get a little bit [of anxiety]."

He continued, "I used to never get anything at all. I used to be like, 'I don't believe that anxiety thing. What's everybody banging on about?' And then I got it a couple of times, and went, 'Oh, Jesus.'" The 24-year-old added, "I tend to get it a lot around stage time, and I start freaking out with TV shows and stuff, but you kind of breathe your way out of it."

He explained that he uses the "box breathing" technique, in which you take a deep breath in for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and then hold your breath for four seconds, and repeat as necessary. Although there isn't much research to suggest that this specific breathing pattern is helpful during anxiety attacks, the Mayo Clinic recommends deep breathing in general during times of stress and mindful breathing is often recommended for dealing with anxiety in the moment. In the long-term, however, clinical anxiety is usually treated with therapy and, in some cases, medication.

Horan, who released his first solo album, Flicker, last week also spoke about how he and his fellow One Direction members would help Zayn Malik with his anxiety when they would perform together. "Zayn would have struggled with it, because he liked having us next to him onstage, which took some of the [pressure off]," Horan said. "When you don't like it being all about you and you've got other people around you, it's kind of easier to go on stage."

Malik has been extremely open about his anxiety and his eating disorder in the last year. The singer shared that he had had to cancel performances in the past due to panic attacks. "I just couldn't go through with it," he wrote. "Mentally, the anxiety had won. Physically, I knew I couldn't function," he wrote, concluding that he would have to cancel.

Although everyone experiences anxiety to some extent, it's usually temporary. So if you're dealing with symptoms of anxiety that are interfering with your daily life, your work, or relationships, it's time to check in with a mental health professional.